UK Research Reserve

Protecting the UK’s research collection

Anne Bell and Ruth Thornton

The UKRR concept

The UKRR is a collaborative, co-ordinated and sustainable approach to securing the long term retention, storage and access to low-use printed research journals.

To enable:

Co-ordinated retention of printed journals

Quick and easy access to research material

Collaborative storage of printed journals

Libraries understand the need to:

Preserve printed research journals

Maintain access to printed material

Low-use printed journals under pressure

Space and cost pressures faced by librariesCreates a risk of ad hoc disposal of low-use

print journalsLoss of important research materialPreservation and access to research

material left to chance

The UKRR is designed to

protect and make accessible, low

use, but still important

research material, in the most cost

effective way.

The UKRR has three goals

Protecting the long term future of printed research journals

Enabling quick and easy access to research material

Ensuring efficient use of resources

Protecting the long term future of printed research journals

Co-ordinated retention of low-use printed research journals

Ensure “last copies” are not inadvertently discarded

One copy at the British LibraryTwo copies within HE library networkDistributed holding of research journals

Enabling quick and easy access to research material

Access for all researchers, regardless of location or institutional affiliation

Fast, convenient access, building on the existing strengths of BL DSC

Print or electronic copy Desk top delivery the

norm

Ensuring efficient use of resources

Co-ordinated retention and storage of low-use print journals

Reducing duplicate storage of the same low-use journal titles

Significant space gains within HE librariesRe-purpose space for new opportunities

Features of the UKRR

Based on the holdings of higher education libraries, with the BL at its core

The BL will store and maintain copies of printed journals

The BL will provide access services via document supply service

Two copies will be held within the HE library network, in addition to the BL copy

Models and mechanisms to enable the co-ordinated retentionSCONUL to act as co-ordinating body Investigate the most appropriate library to

retain a print copy Liaise with libraries and secure agreement Ensure that responsibility is shared fairlyUKRR and SCONUL will design and test a

retention agreement and management process

Building on the BL’s existing research infrastructure

To develop the storage and access servicesBL will take in, process and store “last copies”Provide access to material within the UKRRService level agreed with library and research

stakeholders New subscription based pricing model,

including fixed element for storage and retention of material

Sustainable future for storage and document supply

The UKRR project

Two phasesPhase 1 funded by UK HE Funding

Councils£709,164January 2007 to June 2008.

Phase 1 Project Partners

University of BirminghamThe British LibraryCardiff UniversityImperial College London, lead institutionUniversity of LiverpoolUniversity of St AndrewsUniversity of Southampton

UKRR Project: Phase 1

Develop a pilot UKRR Test an operational

service for researchers

Evaluate the pilot Use the knowledge

and experience gained to develop Phase 2

Phase 2

Build on Phase 1Open the UKRR to all research libraries

wishing to participate Possibly extend the scheme to include

monographs Dependent on receiving additional funding

Cardiff University’s involvement with the UKRR project

The motivation (1)

The Schools supported by Trevithick Library (Engineering, Computer Science and Physics) have shown a commitment to moving to e-only journal subscriptions wherever possible.

These Schools were perceived to be less likely to be concerned by the idea of access to, rather than holding, all their material.

The motivation (2)

Refurbishment plans for two of Cardiff’s libraries involving more study spaces and less space devoted to paper copies of journals and abstracts – we need to find space in Store fast!

Preliminaries

Identified material in Cardiff University’s 2 stores belonging to the 3 selected Schools.

Used the SCONUL formula of an average of 18 volumes to a linear metre to estimate the amount of potential material.

1200 metres

Preliminaries (2)

Identified duplicates acquired through a history of institutional mergers.

Identified journals with no current subscription or alignment with current Schools.

Identified journals covered by electronic journal subscriptions / purchases.

Getting agreement

School of Physics and Astronomy Apart from some historical runs, the rep wanted us to dispose

of all but the last 3 years. We wouldn’t let them!

School of Computer Science Agreed with all our suggestions as much of their older material

is available electronically or is now obsolete. Very little of their material held in Store is used at all.

School of Engineering In principle, agreed, but there were significant delays because

of the need for consultation and also a bit of procrastination. Concerns over access rather than holding material – would it cost more?

Team members

2 Subject librarians / 1 Library Operations Manager – ad hoc

1 Library assistant (full time)

4+ Library assistants (part time, ad hoc)

Measuring and checking

All items had to be physically measured and checked in Store Estimates too low! Involve

other Schools and identify other material in Store

Entry onto UKRR Excel forms: ISSNs, alternative titles, SUNCAT for other holdings

Keeping track of timings – average of 10-12 minutes a title for all checks

The results

Eventually identified and located 1100m of older, little used material

Over 900 individual titles

An example of great team work!

Next stages…..

British Library are currently checking our holdings against theirs

Creation of lists suitable for Cataloguing and Store staff

Cardiff University catalogue amendmentsRemoval and disposal of itemsConsolidate space gained in Store

If we did it again tomorrow….

We were perhaps over optimistic on issues such as Initial estimates of how many journals we could include Amount of time needed to dedicate to processes such

advocacy and locating material in Store Amount of time needed for “Suncatting” and ISSN checking

Dedicate staff to the project as early as possible. Ensure that all staff in the Schools are aware of the

project. Be prepared that a number of staff will be required for a

period of time. We found we needed to rely on the goodwill of other staff to keep day to day operations going.

UK Research Reserve

Protecting the UK’s research collection

Anne Bell and Ruth Thornton